Ribbing blocking machine



Nov. 28, 1950 A. G. KOHLE vEl" AL RIBBING BLOCKING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 8, 1949 INVENTOR5 THOMAS A. GQEEMLEY ALBEQT G. KOHLE EEEEEEE,:EE:

ATTORNEYS w ww INVENTORS THOMAS AGQEENLEY @a ALBEQT G. KOHLE ATTORNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,6,4m #19Min/40% Nov. 28, 1950 A G KOHLE ETAL RIBBING BLOCKING MACHINE Flled Nov B, 1949 of the machine of Figure. 1;

Patented Nov. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RIBBING BLCKING MACHINE Albert G. Kohle, Burlingame, and Thomas A. Greenley, San Bruno, Calif.

Application November 8, 1949, Serial No. 126,202

7 Claims.

shaping ribbed portions of'knitted garments in a 'steam pressing machine.

` A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved ribbing blocking device for use on a steam pressing machine, said'device being very simple in construction, being easy to opcrate, and providing a means of restoring ribbed portions ofv knitted garments to their original yshapes and restoring the original elasticity of said ribbed portions.

A further'object of the'invention is to provide 'an improved blocking device for use in a steam pressing machine lfor reshaping and recondition ing ribbed portions of knitted garments, said device involving only a. relatively few parts, requiring no modification of the steam pressing machine, being simple to operate, being durable in construction, light in weightV and relatively compact in size.

Further objects and advantages oi' the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure I is a front elevational view of a ribbing blocking machine constructedinl accordance with the present' invention, shown mounted on the buck of. a' steampressing machine;l

Fig. 21s an enlarged end elevational view of the machine of` Figure l;

' Figure 3 is a top plan view, partly broken away,I

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional detail view taken on line 4`4` of 'Figure 8;

' *Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse vertical crosssectional view taken on line 5-5 of" Figuref;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan detail view of an end portion ofthe pin-teethsupporting rod andl suspension spring, showing A-one of the ball chain sections attached to the suspension spring, as employed in the machine of Figure 1.

Referring tothe drawings', the machineis designated generally atv II. Said machine comprises 'an elongated, rectangular base I2 ofwood or other suitable material on the top surface of which is secured a sheet metal plate I3, as by screws I 4. Plate |315 formed at its iront margin with an upstanding vertical iiange I 5 to which is secured ay longitudinal vertical strip member IE., asby bolts Il. The bottom of base I2 is formed with a '.wi'de, shallow, longitudinal groove I8 `open at the endsof base I2 to provide a means for the escape of 'steam from below said base.

Adjacent each end of the base I2 are formed a pair of transverse grooves I9, each groove having a downwardly and rearwardly-inclined bottom surface 20 and terminating at its rear end in a vertical, circular aperture 2l formed in the base I2. The plate I3 is formed with apertures 22 overlying the respective apertures 2 I. Secured in each groove i9 is a resilient arm 23, the forward end of the arm being formed with an eye portion 24 through which extends a screw 25 securing the arm 23 in the forward end of the groove I9. The rear end of each resilient arm 23 is formed with ay depending pointed spur 2B which is forwardly and downwardly inclined, as shown in Figures 2 and5 and is adapted' to be embedded in the pad surface of the buck 21 of a steam press, as shown in Figure 1. Secured on each arm 23 adjacent spur 26 is a circular button element 28 which is accessible from above through the opening 22 in plate I3, enabling the spur 26 to be pressed into the buck pad 21 when the machine is mounted on the buck. When the machine is thus mounted with the spurs 23 embedded in the pad, a forward pull on the machine causes the spurs 26 to become firmly wedged in the pad. To release the spurs, the machine must be pushed rearwardly.

Designated at 29 is a longitudinally-extending sheet metal housing having a horizontal base flange 30 which is rigidly secured to the plate I3, as by welding or the like. The forward Wall of the housing, shown at 3| has its lower margin 32 spaced above ange 30, as shown in Figure 5. The housing 29 has vertical end walls 33 to which is secured a horizontal, longitudinally extending, supporting rod 34. Slidably mounted on the rod 34 are spaced washer discs 35. Extending longitudinally of and around the rod 34 is a coiled spring 3E, the spaced Washer discs 35 being engaged between spaced turns of the spring, whereby the washer discs 35 float on the rod 34, as shown in Figure 6. Secured to each end disc 35 is the end of a ball chain 38, each ball chain extending through a keyhole opening 39 formed in the adjacent end wall 33 ofthe housing 29 and being provided at its free end with a knob 4U.

y Any desired number of washer discs 35 may be employed and any desired number of coils oi springs 36 may separate vsaid discs.

Secured in the lower portion of each disc 35 iS a forwardly projecting rod 4I formed at its free end with an upwardly projecting pointed spur 42', the forward portionsv of the rods 4I overlying the top edge of' strip I6 and the spurs 42` being in longitudinal alignment. When the spring 36 is in a released condition, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, the rods 4l and spurs 42 are relatively closely spaced. The rods 4I and spurs 42 may Ybe uniformly spread to relatively widely-spaced positions by exerting endwise tension on spring 3B by pulling both ball chains 38 outwardly by means of their knobs 40. The ball chains may be locked in tensioned positions by engaging the chains 'in the narrow portions of the respective keyhole apertures 39.

Designated at 43 is a longitudinally-extending, downwardly-facing channel member resiliently secured forwardly adjacent the top portion of housing 29 by respective inclined, resilient supporting bars 44, 44. As shown in Figure 4, the lower, inwardly-extending ends of resilient bars 44 are secured by bolts 45, 45 to the flange 30 and plate I3. The upper end of each bar 44 is movably secured to anend portion of the chani nel member 43 by means of a bolt 46 extending through a plate member41 supported on channel member 43, through said channel member, and through a longitudinal slot 4B formed in the bar 44. The ends of bar 44 are formed with depending flanges 49 adjacent the outer bolts 46. vAdditional bolts 46 secure the inner ends of the plate members 41 to the channel member 43. Designated at 5D is a generally U-shaped channel member which extends parallel to housing 29 and is hinged to the respective plate members 41 by hinges 5|, the ends of the channel member 5D being closed off by round plugs v52 secured in said ends.; Positioned in the channel member 50 is a coiled spring 53, the ends of the spring only being rigidly secured to the channel memlfber, whereby the coils thereof may be moved longitudinally in a yielding manner. The coils project upwardly out ofI the channel 50 when saidchannel is in its elevated positionyas shown f.

in Figures 1, 4 and 5. The channel 50 may be rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 5 (clockwise as viewed in Figure 2),'whereby the coils of spring 53 may be meshed over-the upstanding spurs 42, said spurs being then received in the channel. This procedure is employed when the ribbed portion of a knitted garment is to be engaged with the spurs 42, as will be presently described.

In operation of the device, said device is first mounted on the buck pad 21 of a steam pressing stand, as previously described, by engaging the depending spurs 26 in the pad by pressing downwardly on buttons 28 and exerting a forward pull on the base l2. The spring 36 is then expanded by pulling outwardly on the ball chains 38, employing the knobs 4D, and then locking said ball chains in the narrow portions of the keyhole openings 39. The spurs 42 are thus positioned in spread-apart relation. The ribbed portion of the garment to be reshaped is then engaged on the spread-apart spurs 42. The channel 5D is then rotated forwardly and downwardly (counterclockwise from the position of Figure 5), and is pressed downwardly with channel 43, engaging the spring 53 over the spurs 42 and pressing the ribbed portion of the Agarment downwardly along the spurs 42, until the ends of flanges 49 engage the flange 38, whereby said ribbed portion is forced substantially to the lowermost portions of said spurs. The channel 5D then raised and returned to its normal position, shown in Figure 5. The ball chains 38 are then disengaged from the narrow portions of keyhole apertures 35 and the spring 36 is allowed t9 C911.-

4 tract to the position of Figure 3. The spurs 42, therefore, move close together, contracting the ribbing of the garment. Steam is then applied to the contracted ribbing and the garment is simultaneously pulled forward slightly, shrinking the ribbing and causing the ribbing to be pulled to its original shape. After a short period of steaming under these conditions, the garment is disengaged upwardly from Vthe spurs 42 and the operation is completed.

By processing the ribbing as above described, the ribbing is brought back substantially to its original elasticity and shape.

While a specific embodiment of a blocking machine for re-forming ribbed portions of knittedk garments' has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occurv to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the Ainvention except as defined-by the scopejof the `appended claims.

holding said spring in expanded position.

2. A device for reshaping ribbed portions of garments comprising a base, a horizontal support mounted on said base, `a coiled spring extending longitudinally of' and around said support, -a

plurality of forwardlyand upwardly extending spurs movably secured between spaced turns of said spring, means for releasably holding said spring in expanded position, and downwardly ymovable means formed and arranged to meshingly engage with said spurs.

3. A device for reshaping ribbed portions of garments comprising a base, a horizontal support mounted on said base, acoiled spring extending longitudinally of and around said support, a plurality of forwardly and upwardly extending spurs 'movably secured between spaced turns of said spring, means for releasably holding said spring in expanded position, a channel member, means movably securing said channel member to said base parallel to said coiled spring for movement downwardly over and receiving said spurs, and means carried in said channel member meshingly engageable with said spurs.

4. A device for reshaping ribbed portions of garments comprising a base, a horizontal support mounted on said base, a coiled spring extending longitudinally, of and aroundr said support, a plurality of forwardly and upwardly extending spurs movably secured between spaced turns of said spring, means for holding said spring in expanded position, a channel member, means movably securing-said channel member togsaid base parallel to said coiled spring for movement downwardly over and receiving said spurs, and acoiled spring carried in said channel member and being meshingly engageable with said spurs;

5. A device for reshaping ribbed portions of garments comprising a base, a horizontal support mounted on said base, a coiled spring extending longitudinally of and around said support, a plurality of rforwardly and upwardly extending spurs mo-vably secured between spaced turns of said spring, a flexible member secured JQ Qrieend Qf. said spring, means on said base lockingly engageable with said ilexible member for holding said spring in expanded position, and downwardly movable means formed and arranged to meshingly engage with said spurs.

6. A device for reshaping ribbed portions of garments comprising a base, a horizontal support mounted on said base, a coiled spring extending longitudinally of and around said support, a plurality of forwardly and upwardly extending spurs movably secured between spaced turns of said spring. ball chains secured to the respective ends of the spring, respective upstanding wall elements carried on opposite sides of said base and formed with respective keyhole apertures, through which said ball chains pass, the ball chains being releasably lockable in the narrow portions of the keyhole apertures, whereby said spring may be releasably secured in expanded position, a channel member, means movably securing said channel member to said base parallel to said coiled spring for movement downwardly over and receiving said spurs, a coiled spring carried in said channel member and being meshingly engageable with said spurs, and means on the base underlying said spurs and limiting downward movement thereof.

7. A device for reshaping ribbed portions of garments comprising a base, downwardly directed movable spurs secured to said base, a 1norizontal support mounted on said base, a coiled spring extending longitudinally of and around said support, a plurality of forwardly and upwardly extending spurs movably secured between spaced turns of said spring, means for releasably holding said spring in expanded position, and downwardly movable means carried by said base and being formed and arranged to meshingly engage over said last-named spurs.

/ ALBERT G. KOI-ILE.

No references cited. 

